A Dublin man wins a 365 acre farm in County Meath for the price of a £300 raffle ticket.
To pay off debts, potato farmer Raymond Coyle is disposing of his 365 acre Bellewstown Estate in County Meath through a raffle. More than 2,400 tickets have been sold at £300 apiece.
Raymond Coyle is sorry to be losing his farm but is pleased the lottery has been successful,
I'm sure everybody is, particularly the bank.
Thanks to the raffle Raymond Coyle will be able to pay off nearly all of his debts and has raised a better price for the farm than he would have received at auction.
The prize draw takes place at Goffs Livestock Sales at Kill in County Kildare is and the master of ceremonies for the event is RTÉ broadcaster Mick Murphy.
Watched on by some 2,000 hopefuls, Mike Murphy draws the winning ticket. He announces the winner, Austin Lalor of College Lands in Saggart, County Dublin.
It’s the first time I ever won anything.
Austin Lalor already owns a 347 acre farm in County Wicklow. Stunned by his win, he is yet to decide what to do with the additional 365 acres in County Meath.
It’s all a bit of a shock at the minute.
As the sole winner of Bellewstown Estate, Austin Lalor declares the gamble of winning 365 acres for £300 was one well worth taking.
An 'Ireland’s Eye’ report broadcast on 27 January 1983.
